What is another word for scientism?

Pronunciation: [sˈa͡ɪ͡əntɪzəm] (IPA)

Scientism refers to the belief that the scientific method and science in general is the only trustworthy source of knowledge. Synonyms for scientism include scientific dogmatism, science worship, and scientific fundamentalism. Some also use the terms positivism and naturalism interchangeably with scientism. Others define scientism as the belief that science can provide answers to all questions, including those that fall outside of its realm. Regardless of its definition, scientism has been criticized for limiting the scope of human knowledge and ignoring the importance of faith, intuition, and other sources of knowledge.

What are the hypernyms for Scientism?

A hypernym is a word with a broad meaning that encompasses more specific words called hyponyms.

Usage examples for Scientism

Professor Clifford says he is more thoroughly in harmony with the spirit and letter of advanced scientism than any other living poet.
"Birds and Poets"
John Burroughs
Is it insanity to believe that Christian scientism is destined to make the most formidable show that any new religion has made in the world since the birth and spread of Mohammedanism, and that within a century from now it may stand second to Rome only, in numbers and power in Christendom?
"The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories"
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Last Updated: February 18, 2009
Like our scientism of to-day, it was unable to lay down a system of morals.
"Saint Augustin"
Louis Bertrand

Famous quotes with Scientism

  • Unlike scientism, science in the true sense of the word is open to unbiased investigation of any existing phenomena.
    Stanislav Grof
  • We ask ourselves all kinds of questions, such as why does a peacock have such beautiful feathers, and we may answer that he needs the feathers to impress a female peacock, but then we ask ourselves, and why is there a peacock? And then we ask, why is there anything living? And then we ask, why is there anything at all? And if you tell some advocate of scientism that the answer is a secret, he will go white hot and write a book. But it is a secret. And the experience of living with the secret and thinking about it is in itself a kind of faith.”
    Václav Havel
  • It is not "scientism" to concede the objectivity and precision of good science, any more than it is history worship to concede that Napoleon did once rule in France and the Holocaust actually happened. Those who fear the facts will forever try to discredit the fact-finders.
    Daniel Dennett
  • The themes of New Age politics were first articulated in the late 1970s by Mark Satin, who had fled the Vietnam War draft for Canada. There it dawned on him that "the ideas and energies from the various 'fringe' movements – feminist, ecological, spiritual, human potential and the like – were beginning to come together in a new way." Drawing on decentralist and feminist theories of the early 1970s, Satin's called for an escape from the "six-sided prison": patriarchism [], egocentricity, scientism, bureaucracy, nationalism and urbanism. In its place Satin advocated a "third force" which would transcend the traditional divisions between Marxism and capitalism, liberalism and conservatism, Democrats and Republicans. Still seeking that synthesis, Satin publishes the Washington-based newsletter "New Options," which has criticized both the Sandinistas and Reagan's policy in Central America while searching for a "different" ground from pro-life and pro-choice forces on the abortion issue.
    Mark Satin
  • [In] economics... you can disguise charlatanism under the weight of equations and nobody can catch you since there is no such thing as a controlled experiment. Now the spirit of such methods, called scientism by its detractors, continued into the discipline of finance as a few technicians thought their mathematical knowledge could lead them to understand markets. The practice of financial engineering came along with massive doses of pseudoscience. (page 115)
    Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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